Hep C Discussion Forum

Hi Zavr, I'm hoping to hear results today or tomorrow.

I did find out my baseline VL last Thursday - 10 million.

How much calmer things have gotten here on the treatment thread.  Garbage isn't all that bad compared to picking your meds out of half digested food. 

Go team, SVR SVR SVR!!!!

-- Edited by Scruffy on Wednesday 20th of May 2015 09:21:03 PM

Zavr,

Gross would've been if you said you stopped long enough to make a sandwich.... Now that's TMI, lol! I'm so glad you found the golden egg (among the shells)!

Thank you, guys!!!

P.S. It finally happened!! With only 3 days to go until EOT, I had to trash dive for Viekira Pak! (my hubby accidentally tossed out an evening dose of Viekira Pak).... OH man it was disgusting... Thankfully, it was all packaged up, in between the wilted lettuce and morning teabags. Gross. I think I get infected with new Hep C just thinking about it :D

P.P.S. Sorry for TMI. Oh the pleasures of taking multiple doses a day!

Congratulations Zavr! That's great news and you can trust that even though you're in a bit of shock, you'll find that the worry you have previously experienced, will be quickly replaced by the joy and confidence we all feel. It doesn't take long either! Enjoy the moment and look forward to more good news. Keep us updated whenever you hear something, we love being able to share your joy!

We saw Ian Anderson last November.  He was phenomenal.  He had a fantastic band and a younger singer/actor whose voice flexibility was able to sing the complex lyrics and melodies.  Anderson was promoting a new album that sounded great.  That was the first 1/2 of the show.  The second half was devoted to old faves.  It was very powerful and we had 8th row seats.  This summer we're seeing the Stones.  Row 11.  My new motto...Life is Short.

Fem

I'm on week 10 now and I'm not really having any side-effects at all anymore. And considering the sides I had to begin with and the fact that my mother's now in the hospital, I'd say that's quite remarkable. I guess the ole bod is finally adjusting to the Ribavirin. There is that hunger issue but I kind of like that.

Say, is that the wizard of Oz I smell? LOL I saw many Sabbath and Ozzy concerts back in the 70's. Saw Floyd too. Great shows but every Tull concert I saw was better so I'll use Ian Anderson for awhile. Till I get bored and then its back to my dog!

Hey RBell,

So happy to hear you've reached the EOT undetected! I expect that you're going to continue to improve and get that coveted SVR soon. Keep us updated and congratulations on this good news!

Hi Greg,

Done! Isn't Riba fun? NOT. Sorry about the Redwings....

Ah, I love it! Great responses. I feel more and more like my dog every day. Always wanting attention! LOL I swear its the Riba. Does funny things to my head. Has since I started it, but no depression. Just not myself. I'm usually quite animated but Riba stunts my emotions and makes me a we bit paranoid.  Could be worse, eh?

I'll keep posting here, after all, its a good pak. But as for physical labor you'll need an un-skilled laborer for that GG! I'm semi-retired!

Hi Greg,

Just wanted to let you know I have no comment, lol! 

 

                                                                        

Hey all,

   Thanks a bunch for your support. I'm quite happy and after seeing Dr. Diaz yesterday I'm even happier! Nicest Dr. I've ever had the pleasure to meet. He loves these new protocols and I think he's happier than I am. Spent years ordering blood transfusions and tying his best to keep people on those grueling former regimens. Makes his job a whole lot easier.

Seems this thread gets very little action from its few members so I'll be posting in a new thread when I post again. Feel free not to transfer my new thread to the Viekira Pak train BTW. I get bored easily and a new thread is needed. I like input from all, not just the Mods/Admin. Thanks again_Greg

Hi Greg, congrats on your 7 weeks results, `not detected` is the best thing you can wish to see on your lab reports!

Great to hear your blood levels are all looking good, and your liver enzymes are amazing!  An ALT and AST reading like that shows how well the treatment is working, and your liver is certainly feeling the benefit!

It`s good to be well informed about what`s going on and I`m glad you`re keeping your doctor on his toes!

Everything`s going in your favour, I`m sure you can look forward to SVR in your not too distant future! 

 

 

Britt15 I do not think you will be disappointed with the Viekira Pak. It truly works for most people especially ones that have never treated before. Like everyone stated, the sides seem different for everyone. I noticed the Riba right away because it made me grouchier than normal. I tend to be a little short tempered anyway so it magnified it a bit. But it was not something I could not handle at all. I also got a rash but it went away very quickly after it was over. I didn't do anything for it because I was stubborn and didn't want anything I might try to mess with my results. I never did go in to any type brain fog. The first two weeks I had a little shortness of breath, but being an ex smokers that didn't surprise me. It went away. I have a pretty active lifestyle and never missed a beat. Yes there were times at night that I went to bed very tired but for the most part the whole treatment was very easy.

The exciting part was just how fast the HepC shows up undected. I started with 16 million viral load and was undected at two weeks. At end of treatment I was undected and so far I have stayed that way. I go for my EOT+24 weeks the end of May. It seems I feel better all the time and guess I just didn't realize that I felt bad to start. I kind of started treatment with the idea that I can do anything for 12 weeks. Harvoni and Viekira Pak are both good treatments with excellent results. If i couldn't get approved for one I would take the other in a heart beat. Good luck and if i can help I check this site every day.

Pam

Hi,

I been finding I have lots of energy and focus for a few hours and then I just crash.  I'm totally depleted.  Also, I've found I'm quite emotional with my feelings just below the surface.  I'm not a big crier, but on this stuff, I seem to be.  It's kind of embarrassing when I've been known as quite the tough broad.  I'm not working now but I think I might have been able to work a regular day (I was a teacher) if I was able to sit down fairly frequently.  I'm very glad I don't have to work, though.

 

Hope this helps,

FemA.

Hi Britt and welcome to the forum!

I'm relatively new here as well but I am on Viekira+Ribavirin so I can offer a little insight to you although that's a bit of a tough question to answer. As you are aware, everyone re-acts to medications differently. I've had people ask me how I quit smoking and I've told them that I simply stopped buying them because I didn't have and will never have a good answer to a question like that!

But I can tell how Ribavirin has affected me. I don't like it and Its a drug I would prefer not to take. At first it felt as though I'd just taken an over-dose of caffeine. Over-stimulated. That went away in a few weeks. I had a lot of brain fog, as we like to call it. That's now gone away. I've been a bit cranky although not so much anymore. From the day I started it I just haven't felt like myself. That's gotten better but has not gone away entirely. Others here have had similar side-effects but many do not. I haven't had anything in the way of rashes but some people do. I wish I could give you a better Idea of what to expect but I don't see how. You just won't know until you are on it.

I see you are only 25. Perhaps any side-effects you might experience will be easier due to your young age. Or perhaps not. Again, this is good question and I hope some-one here can give you better advice. You spoke of fighting for Harvoni but I don't know what that would entail. I had the luxury of quitting my job shortly after I started treatment. I was going to anyway and as I'm older and have money saved, I don't live check to check. In my opinion the Viekira pak is just as effective as Harvoni but if you are 1a like we are you have to take ribavirin to achieve that effectiveness.  

I'm glad you found this site. Its been very helpful to me and it will be to you too. Now that I can guarantee you! As for the Ribavirin its kind of a crap shoot. It hasn't been that bad but I sure don't like it. I hope some-one can give a more logical answer to your question. I'm sure you'll get a lot of input. Good luck and welcome aboard!    Greg

Hey Bubble,

Good deal! I'm glad you haven't had any problems getting these deliveries. That's a stress none of us need to deal with during an already stressful time. What a relief!

Those containers are the best! One of these days I'm going to need to get rid of all of the gel packs that came in mine. I've got the entire door of my big garage freezer stuffed with them. Along with those coolers, I haven't had to buy ice in almost two years! Call it a side benefit, eh? 

Hey Bob,

   I'm on the same regimen and was a little itchy the first week as well. The Riba no doubt. But all in all it hasn't been that bad. My main side now is increased appetite but that won't hurt much because I'm 6'2" about 200lbs the same as I was at 25 years old. People have been having good results from Viekira Pak. I had a high viral load of 21.8 million and was "Not detected" at 4 weeks. 26 days actually. I just went in today for labs and I have no doubt it will be the same. You should do great. Let us know what your lab results are when you get them. I've been eating very healthy foods, "mostly" and I would recommend anyone else do the same although that's sort of a no brainer. Lots of water helps too. Good luck!

Im  a 1a and used to be 1b. Go figure that. We Vikerians are quite a bunch. Hang in there Zavr. Your numbers are excellant. I agree with Lone wolf. 1B is almost 100% curable!   Keep us posted.

 

Hey Zavr,

Thanks, I appreciate it. It sound to me like you are well on your way. I see you started a week  before me so you could be UND right now and just not know it. It sounds like its definitely working for you with those low ALT and AST and <15 is so low that I think only UND is lower. And I'm guessing that UND will be your next stop! Just my inexperienced opinion. So hang tough and just keep doing what your doing and we'll all be rooting for ya!

I really wasn't expecting a UND with 21.8 million of those little buggers in that little bit of blood. Your 1b and from what I've read that's what Viekira Pak treats with the most success. Like 99 to 100%! You'll get there kiddo. Just let us know when.

Take care_Greg

LW,

There are technical articles on the subject, all difficult to interpret. Hopefully Malcolm can explain this better. It appears that the 1a/1b hybrid develops when you are exposed to both genotypes and they join to form the hybrid or you initially contract the hybrid. The thought of the air gun vaccinations comes to mind right away for the military among us. Nothing like sharing this with 100 of your fellow recruits.... JMHO 

The correct treatments now can address the issue as your doctor mentioned. The next pan genotypic treatments will be effective across all genotypes and should eliminate this hybridization concern.

Congrats to Greg and lonewolf!

Just took my first dose a couple of hours ago, we'll see how it goes!

Greg,

I will go along with your hooray for Viekira Pak! VP instead of Harvoni doesn't matter so long as it works. Going from 21.8 million VL to UND in 4 weeks is a pretty good indication that it is doing the job!

john

Congrats to you Greg, that`s a brilliant result!  Very pleased for you, it must be a huge relief!!